Talent was something you couldn't blame anyone for. Among the trio, Umino Ikkaku had the least talent.
Both Shinku and Kosuke were more talented and stronger than he was. That was the tragedy of being an ordinary shinobi.
There was no helping it. Fate was written in the stars. Among the strong in the Shinobi World, there were very few who had risen from humble beginnings.
The vast majority had clan bloodlines or powerful Kekkei Genkai. Others were the students, grandchildren, or children of Kage.
It was far too difficult for a civilian shinobi to rise above their station.
"Hey, if you run into them, pass along a message for me. A child's talent doesn't mean everything. What parents need to do is guide their children properly and point them down the right path."
Shinku nodded. "All right. I'll tell them."
The two families chatted together for another five or six minutes before saying their goodbyes and going their separate ways.
Torifu had barely taken a few steps when he ran into another familiar face: Oyashiro Tsuki, who lived next door.
The Oyashiro Clan was now quite wealthy. Their former prison, Hell Valley, had become their path to riches.
Although development in Hell Valley was now nearing its end, and it wouldn't support mining for many more years,
the Oyashiro Clan had indeed grown rich enough to rank among the major clans.
They still didn't have a shinobi capable of commanding respect, though.
Their new generation of shinobi was neither particularly strong nor numerous.
They were still a clan in need of development, but their potential was limitless.
Torifu caught up with Oyashiro Tsuki and asked how the Oyashiro Clan was doing. After that, the two went their separate ways.
He later ran into Jiraiya, Hiruko, and Orochimaru. Those three